We've started giving Elise vitamin D drops. Doctors recommend this now for breast fed babies because they think that there isn't enough vitamin D in mommy milk. Our doctor mentioned the drops at Elise's 2 month check up. He and I had a lengthy discussion about it.
Your body makes vitamin D when you go out in the sun. Back in the day, babies probably set around outside a lot while their mothers gathered or tanned animal hides or whatever. But now babies sit around inside while their mommies clean dishes or watch Oprah.
I'm a big believer in "breast is best" so I had a hard time at first believing that my breast milk was anything less than perfect for Elise. BUT, I guess that times have changed and evolution didn't plan for the advent of Netflix or Hulu.
Even still, I live in a sunny place and Elise has fair skin. She is at no risk for rickets. Doctor Cutie-pants confirmed this. What got me convinced that we should do the vitamin D drops is that there are possible long term benefits to having a good amount of vitamin D in infancy. Reduced risk of certain diseases later in life.
SO, vitamin D drops it is, Doc!
Elise hates them. Does her best to spit the liquid out. She'll get used to it, though. The drops smell sweet, like candy. She'll be begging for them before long.
We did them for a while. The first time, having not tasted them, I just shoved the dropper in Mikey's 2week old mouth. He chocked so bad he turned purple. Needless to say, I was screaming at Patrick to make it better. Fear not, my mommy instinct has developed greatly since that moment. The one's we had tasted like absolutely shee-it. Once Mikey started taking a bottle while I was gone or drinking from a sippy cup, the drops would just go in there. Less disgusting that way. If you put just a few drops in a bottle of breastmilk though, it turns orange (or whatever color your drops are). A touch disconcerting.
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We started these at 2 months for Andy and he hated it at first. I tasted it and thought it was kind of artificial cherry-like, which I also dislike. Anyway, I make sure to give it to him right before I breastfeed and now he doesn't protest. He must know he gets to wash it down with the good stuff. I was afraid to mix it with breastmilk for fear that he'd refuse the milk because of the flavor.
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